Staff who set up polling stations to go on strike

RENFREWSHIRE Council workers who are responsible for setting up and dismantling the polling stations will be going on strike during the upcoming election.

Around 200 craft workers employed by the local authority will take part in industrial action, starting at 8am on May 3 and up to May 6, when the action will conclude at 1pm.

Voting for the 2022 election will take place between 7am and 10pm on May 5.

The Unite members were also due to deliver the ballot boxes to the count in the forthcoming council elections.

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite’s craft workers are rightly angry not only at the below-inflation pay offer at a time of punishing living costs but at the potentially illegal and costly actions by Renfrewshire Council.

“The council has to make a more acceptable offer to our members.”

Tradespersons and apprentices working within Building Services covered by the local authority craft agreement at Renfrewshire Council have previously voted unanimously to back strike action.

James O’Connell, Unite industrial officer, added: “Unite’s members in the trades and our apprentices have reached the end of their patience with Renfrewshire Council’s mind games.

“Strike action will now hit the forthcoming elections and we do not rule out taking further action beyond May 6.

“The council should get back around the negotiating table rather than deliberately taking steps to escalate this dispute.”

In response, Renfrewshire Council said it was “fully committed to continuing positive negotiations” with Unite.

The council spokesperson added: “As we have been notified by the union that their members will undertake industrial action during the dates of the upcoming local government election, we have put in place our contingency arrangements to ensure it continues to run as planned in May.”